


Breath of Life

by ElanneH



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mermaids, Angst, Canonical Character Death, F/F, POV Iris, Pining, Sad with a Happy Ending, mentions of Barry/Patty Caitlin/Ronnie and Iris/Eddie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 15:37:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5169179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElanneH/pseuds/ElanneH
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mermaid Iris never thought that she'd like to talk to any human, that was until Caitlin showed up on the pier and she, without planning or intention, fell in love with the human girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breath of Life

Iris wasn’t scared of humans, okay, she just had healthy respect for those creatures moving on dry land without their fins. Plus there were rules, like never to expose themselves to them, so that’s why she was hiding behind the rock, eyes never leaving the young human sitting on the pier.

She had seen the girl before. Always sitting cross-legged on the end closest to ocean, surrounded by books and papers. The human girl always looked so composed, writing down notes, barely even noticing the large amount of water surrounding her. Iris found that rather endearing. Most humans just run around in their tiny pieces of clothes, splashing everywhere.

“You’re stalking her again?” sounded right behind her and Iris jumped out. Damn it, Linda. She was the only one able to sneak up on her.

“I’m not stalking her!” Iris replied. “I’m merely watching.”

“You’re worse than Barry with his obsession over that Patty girl.” Linda grinned and turned her expression into dreamy stare, feverishly whispering. “Her hair is like sunlight and when she smiles stars don’t seem so bright…”

“Linda!” Iris laughed, because that sounded exactly like Barry and smacked other mermaids's shoulder in a playful manner. “Stop it!”

“What!” Linda rubbed her shoulder. “That’s exactly what you’re doing when you talk about her.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

The girls didn’t even notice their argument drew the human’s attention. Human girl was staring with a confused expression towards the rock they were hiding behind. Iris and Linda disappeared with a loud splash.

 

                                                                                                                                   ***

The next time Iris saw the human girl, she was holding hands with a dark haired boy. They walked around the bay, laughing, staying close to each other. Iris felt a pang of jealousy in her stomach, she swallowed down the bitterness, turning to go back home, thinking that Linda wasn’t exactly wrong.

 

                                                                                                                                   ***

Brunette human started to show up irregularly, mostly with that young man, looking happier and happier with each visit, that Iris couldn’t help it but feel glad for her. That’s why it was so shocking when she found the human crying on the rock she sat with Linda months ago.

Sounds the girl was making were heartbreaking and Iris didn’t know what to do. On one hand she wanted to offer comfort, hug the human girl, say that everything will be okay, say anything at all to make her stop crying. On the other hand… there were rules.

“Who are you? I think I saw you before. ” A small voice made Iris look up, just to realize that the girl was staring at her, eyes wide still puffy from crying. She had no idea that she was this close to the human. Holding her breath, Iris’ instincts kicked in, her body tensed, ready to run.

“Hey, it’s okay. “ Human woman noticed her posture, showing her hands up. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Of course, she wouldn’t. Humans were dangerous only in big groups and mostly males. At least that’s what her father taught her since her fins were tiny.

“Why were you crying?”

Brunette’s features crumpled into painful expression, tears finding their way down to the woman’s cheeks again. Iris mentally slapped herself. From all the things she could’ve said, her name for example, she asked this. She should’ve just left, leave the human alone, instead she made it worse.

“My boyfriend died.“

The human’s answer took Iris’ wind away. She remembered the dark haired man with the nice smile and protective hand over the girl’s shoulders. She also remembered her Eddie. He was taken from her centuries ago but the wound was still fresh like it happened yesterday. Forgetting all those stupid rules, Iris reached out, putting her hand over the human girl’s calf.

“It will get worse before it gets better, but… trust me when I’m saying, that it will get better.”

The girl nodded like if she understood and her eyes fell on Iris’ hand. The mermaid quickly pulled it back, she didn’t know if humans liked to be touched in their grief and even if they would, probably not from someone who is half fish.

“I…” This time the girl’s hand shot out and grabbed hers. Before Iris had time to panic the human continued. “Thank you.”

Iris stared at her slim fingers with pink nails wrapped around her hand, heart hammering in her chest. She was in so much trouble.

“My name is Caitlin.” The human offered carefully. “Do you… do you have a name?”

“Iris.”

“Iris.” The human, Caitlin, rolled the name over her tongue and Iris couldn’t breathe. So much trouble. “Well, thank you again, Iris.”

Iris nodded and quickly swam away. Some would say she was running. Like Linda or Barry. More like that she was trying to run from blushed cheeks and sad eyes and nagging feelings in her heart. Some would be right.

 

                                                                                                                                  ***

Caitlin, Iris couldn’t believe she finally knew her name, didn’t show up for over a week. When she did, she sat on the pier again, feet swinging just above water. She didn’t cry. And Iris didn’t talk to her.

They repeated the routine a few times. Caitlin came, sat down and Iris ran. When she talked about it with her friends they didn’t understand. Barry was almost angry, he kept saying that if he had the chance talk to Patty he would take it and not run away from it. Linda just hugged her, telling her that it’s probably for the best.

It’s for the best was exactly what Iris kept repeating to herself when she saw Caitlin wandering on the shore. As in the past she turned around and…

“Please don’t go. I just want to talk, Iris.”

Iris sucked a breath but started heading toward the human girl. Caitlin sat in their rock and started an obviously carefully prepared speech. The mermaid watched with a growing amusement how under her gaze the speech was slowly twisting into an adorable blabbering.

“I’m sorry if I said something wrong last time, I didn’t mean to scare you or anything. I realize how I must have looked like to you, and you don’t know me at all, so what if I told anyone about you. .. not that I would. No, never. I didn’t tell anyone. I was hoping you knew that but then you didn’t show up anymore and I thought I must’ve scared you away. I’m really sorry if I did. Oh God, am I still making sense…because I just…”

“Caitlin.” Iris said, cutting her off. “You didn’t scare me and I know you didn’t tell anyone. I trust you.”

It was the truth, Iris knew that the moment it left her mouth. Caitlin gaped at her, eyes wide so Iris had the opportunity to admire the beautiful brown color they had. She averted her gaze.

“So why didn’t you came back?” Caitlin asked, head tilting on the side.

“There are rules. I can’t… we can’t reveal ourselves to humans, Caitlin. It’s dangerous. For me, my people and even for you. “ Iris didn’t want to scare the other woman, but there was a long history of humans trying to catch them, mermaids getting back at them by luring them into deep waters and drowning them and that whole thing ended up with them turning into fairy tales.

“Then why did you do it?” the human whispered. “Why didn’t you run the moment I talked to you? Why did you talk to me?”

“Because you were sad…sadder than I ever saw you before.”

They stared at each other for a while, Iris wondering if she didn’t tell too much, but Caitlin just smiled, crossed her legs and asked her how it was, living under the water like her.

Since that moment Caitlin came to the shore every day. Sometimes she worked on her metal book – laptop, Caitlin told her, and Iris just watched mesmerized the way Caitlin’s hair fell over her shoulders. Sometimes she brought Barry or Linda over, because while they didn’t agree with their meetings originally, even they wanted to get to know the famous Caitlin. And sometimes they just talked.

They shared fact about living on dry land and under the water. What they were doing when they didn’t talk. Iris found out that Caitlin was a healer, a doctor as she called it. Mermaids rarely got ill, so healers were rare and highly valued. Barry’s father was the only one she knew and she had the biggest respect for that man. Caitlin talked a lot about her friends Cisco and Jay and of course, Ronnie. Eventually Iris told her about Eddie, Caitlin was staring a moment and then she hugged her, murmuring words of courage to Iris’ ear.

After a few months Iris was able to read Caitlin’s gestures, like that tucking hair behind her ears meant that she was flattered and that biting her lower lip meant that she was bothered by something.

“What’s bothering you?”

Caitlin looked at her wide eyed. “Why would something bother me?”

Iris gave her a knowing look.

“I just…Iris…”Caitlin stuttered and now Iris was worried. Caitlin was going to leave her. She knew it would happen eventually. Cait was young, beautiful, smart, had an important work and people in her life who loved her. She had to meet someone to spend her human life with. She couldn’t visit Iris like this forever.

“I was thinking.” the human bit her lip again. “Iris, is there any way you could come out on the land?”

That was unexpected. “What?”

“I did some research, I mean, mostly fairy-tales and stuff but a lot of them says that if your fins are dry, the legs will show. Is that true? There are others like potions or true love kiss. Not that it would be possible because of course…”

“Caitlin.” Iris couldn’t breathe. “No.”

“Yeah, sure.” Caitlin couldn’t hide her disappointment. “I knew you wouldn’t like that. Why would you? You’re practically a princess, you live in this amazing magical place, I wouldn’t want to leave that too.”

“That’s not…” Iris was in pain from Caitlin’s sad voice. She was so wrong, so very wrong.

 Iris leaned forward and pressed her lips on Caitlin’s. She felt the human gasp and freeze. For a second she thought she read it wrong but then Caitlin opened her mouth and slide her tongue in and Iris was in heaven. Since Eddie nothing felt that good. Caitlin tasted amazing and when she moaned into her mouth, all Iris wanted to do was to pull her forward, to the ocean and keep her… no.

 The mermaid broke the kiss, watching as Caitlin’s features turned from hazy to confused. Oh, no. Iris wasn’t like that, she could never do that. Not to Caitlin of all people.

“I’m so sorry.” She said and disappeared under the water, ignoring Caitlin’s voice calling after her.

 

                                                                                                                                   ***

“You did what again?”

“You kissed her?”

“For real?”

“She kissed you back?”

“Why didn’t you bring her here then?”

Iris shot Barry a dangerous look. He and Linda were pounding on her for what seems like days. She was hoping that… she didn’t know what she was hoping for. Maybe that they’d talk some sense into her and maybe held her prisoner somewhere so she couldn’t swim right back and beg Caitlin for forgiveness.

“If you think it’s so easy and fair, why didn’t you do it to Patty?” Barry’s shoulder slumped down.  “You had more than one opportunity to grab her and take her here. But you didn’t, because that’s not what we do. Not anymore.”

“No, it’s because Patty wouldn’t want that.” Barry said quietly, eyes boring into her. “Caitlin would.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Did you try to ask her?” Linda made a few temps toward her and Iris shook her head. “You’re forgetting how Nyssa got together with Sara?”

Iris gaped. “That was centuries ago!”

“Yes.” Linda nodded. “But still, Nyssa asked and Sara said yes. She didn’t kidnap her or steal her or whatever you think you’d do to Caitlin. All she did was ask.”

“But…why would she leave dry land?”

“Oh, Iris…”

                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                 ***

She found Caitlin patiently sitting on their rock.  Iris splashed water on her and startled the human.

“Iris!” relief quickly faded into anger. “You left! Why did you do that? I know I shouldn’t talk about you coming up here but you left and I thought…”

“You kissed me back.”

“Yeah.” Caitlin was caught off guard. “But what that has to do with…”

“You kissed me back and I knew a way we could be together and I panicked.” Iris quickly explained. “So I left.”

“Wait, wait. “ Caitlin was shaking her head like it would help her understand. “What do you mean you knew a way? You can come up here?”

“ No, Caitlin…” this was the hard part. The part when Caitlin would leave because no matter what Linda and Barry said, Iris just knew… if she had the chance, she would never leave dry land either. “You’d have to come with me. To the ocean.”

“I…” Caitlin took a deep breath and sat back down, staring at the horizon. Iris watched the way the sunlight was playing shadows on her skin, slowly preparing her goodbyes. She tried, she’d never push but she tried and at least it wouldn’t hunt her for centuries.

“It’s alright, Caitlin.”

The human turned her attention back on her like she didn’t realized how much time had passed since she sat down. Then she nodded seemingly to herself.  “I’ll do it.”

“What?”

“I said I’m coming with you.” Caitlin started to take her shoes down and Iris watched as one layer of clothes followed another. This couldn’t be right.

“Caitlin, Caitlin, stop, Caitlin!”

But it was too late, the other girl jumped into water, landing with a big splash right next to her.

“Cait, you need to think about this. “ Iris heard herself saying, eyes not leaving Caitlin’s now (finally) exposed skin. “You need to be sure, I can’t… you can’t take this back.”

“I am sure, Iris.” Caitlin placed her hands on both sides of the mermaid’s face. “My parents died when I was little, Cisco and Lisa are having a baby and when Ronnie died I lost the only person who could keep me here. And Iris, I love you.”

Iris surged forward and kissed her with everything she got, saying her ‘I love you’s’ with every peck and lick and bite.

“Are you absolutely sure about this?” she asked again, because yes, she needed her to be sure.

“Yes.” Caitlin nodded impatiently. ”So how does this work? Not that I’m complaining but it’s getting cold.”

 “It’s called breath of life. “ Iris explained and slowly pulled Caitlin to the open sea. “We will dive in and when your breath runs out, I’ll give you mine.”

“How?”

“Like this.” The mermaid kissed the human, open mouthed, leaving Caitlin panting. “Take a deep breath, Caitlin Snow.”

Caitlin did what she was told and Iris pulled her under the water.

**Author's Note:**

> After over a year I finally wrote something longer then text message, so please be kind. Also this is my first femslash fanfic, which is something that makes me ridiculously happy and incredibly nervous. So please comment, share your thoughts, I'd love to know what you think about this.
> 
> Also thank you so much my amazing beta, [RC](http://airsay58259.tumblr.com/). Like I said you're life savior.
> 
> Come say hi on my [tumblr](http://bisexualcaitlinsnow.tumblr.com/).


End file.
